When Iran turned to Islam, the lavish life of monarchs was replaced with simplicity and equality. In these early cities the central part, as the heart of the city, became a public place that all could enjoy. The main gate of an early Islamic city is followed by trade routes that lead travelers to the heart of the city, which as it was mentioned is the mosque. The more important goods are traded near the center and as you reach the gates the value of goods drop. The last important part of an early Islamic city is the bath, another public place that was made not far from the mosque. Vakil Mosque, Vakil Bath and Vakil Bazar in Shiraz are the best examples of such combination in a trading neighborhood of the city. Made during the Zand dynasty by the order of Karim Khan, is an example of a Shabistan mosque with two iwans. The northern Shabistan (Prayer Hall) with 48 columns each made from one block of stone, covers an area of about 5000 square meters. A massive marble stone was carved to create the 14 steps pulpit of this Shabistan. The unique tile works and mosaics of the iwans add to the beauty of this mosque making it one of the most beautiful mosques of Iran.
